


Only the Good Die Young

by payingmydues



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Catholic Guilt, Coming Out, Confessions, M/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27267994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/payingmydues/pseuds/payingmydues
Summary: Luke sings a song that reminds him of Alex. Feelings are felt from both parties.
Relationships: Alex/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 97





	Only the Good Die Young

**Author's Note:**

> Look guys, I don't even like reading songfics that much but this song fit so perfectly I had to do it. Of course, I recommend listening to this song before/while reading. It's a great song and always makes me think of these boys. Please enjoy.

Alex and Luke were the only two members of Sunset Curve in the garage. Bobby and Reggie had a paper due for their English Class the next day and Bobby had told Luke that they were working on it at the library together.

“Hey, Alex, I got something I want to show you.” Luke said, getting out his acoustic guitar. He sat down on the couch and waved Alex over. Alex opted to sit on the floor facing Luke instead. He never liked sitting like a normal person.

“I was listening to one of my dad’s old records the other day--He’s a big Billy Joel fan--and I heard this song that made me think of you. Can I play it for you?”

Alex hadn’t listened to much Billy Joel before. It was too old for him. He did hear one of his songs--something about an Italian Restaurant--on the radio one time and loved it. But if this one had made Luke think about him, he was excited to hear it.

Luke started playing the guitar and singing a bright tune, unlike most of the Sunset Curve songs, which were loud and intense.

_Come out Virginia, don't let 'em wait_  
_You Catholic girls start much too late_  
_Aw but sooner or later it comes down to faith_  
_Oh I might as well be the one_

Alex rolled his eyes, smiling a little bit. The band was always teasing him about being the “good catholic son” and never disappointing his parents. Little did they know how disappointed his parents would be if they knew how he really felt. About boys, about Luke, about church, about everything.

_Well, they showed you a statue, told you to pray_  
_They built you a temple and locked you away_  
_Aw, but they never told you the price that you pay_  
_For things that you might have done_

Alex was getting a little nervous. Luke only meant this for fun right? There’s no way he could have known that Alex was gay and that he was scared every day that he would end up in hell. That’s what the priest had said--not to him, of course, but from the pulpit just last week. That’s what he had heard growing up in sunday school.

  
_Only the good die young_  
_That's what I said_  
_Only the good die young_  
_Only the good die young_

Stuck in his head, having a minor panic, Alex barely heard the chorus as Luke sang it. It probably wasn’t significant anyway.

  
_You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd_  
_We ain't too pretty we ain't too proud_  
_We might be laughing a bit too loud_  
_Aw but that never hurt no one_

Alex had calmed down a bit by this point. It was just a song, no big deal. Plus, Luke’s voice sounded so pretty when he sang. Alex couldn’t be nervous for long. He was entranced with Luke’s guitar playing for the next verse or two before he started paying attention to the lyrics again.

_You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation_  
_You got a brand new soul_  
_Mmm, and a cross of gold_  
_But Virginia they didn't give you quite enough information_  
_You didn't count on me_  
_When you were counting on your rosary_  
_(Oh woah woah)_

Alex remembered getting his crucifix for his 15th birthday. Sometimes he felt guilty for wearing it, wanting to take the charm off and just wear the chain. He doubted he’d ever actually do that unless someone forced him to though. He was worried that his parents or his priest might make him if they knew he was gay; God wouldn’t want him to wear a symbol of salvation when he was… the way that he was.

  
_Only the good die young_

Death was what Alex was most afraid of. Bobby and Reggie didn’t believe in God, or at least they had never mentioned it, so they probably hadn’t thought much of life after death. They were lucky that way. Alex knew Luke had been going to church his whole life with his parents. He had only recently stopped when he ran away from home a few weeks ago. Alex didn’t know if Luke believed in heaven or hell but he certainly didn’t show any anxieties that he may have had outwardly.

_Well your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation_  
_Aw she never cared for me_  
_But did she ever say a prayer for me? oh woah woah_

That line was ironic. It was true that Alex’s mom didn’t like Luke--or the rest of the band, for that matter--all that much. But, this song wasn’t actually about him and Luke. Luke was just singing it to Alex, it’s not like he meant any of it. 

_You know that only the good die young_  
_I'm telling you baby_  
_You know that only the good die young_  
_Only the good die young_  
_Only the good_  
_Only the good die young_

His heart sped up when Luke sang the word ‘baby’ looking right into his eyes. No, Alex thought to himself, it's just a coincidence. Luke wasn’t singing to him. Not really, He was just sharing the song.

“Wow, that was really good, Luke.” Alex said quietly, hoping his heart rate would return to normal quickly. 

“Thanks, I-I was hoping you’d like it.”

Alex smirked at that. Ever since they were kids Luke would stutter out his ‘I’s. He hoped Luke would never grow out of that.

Then Luke leaned forward and stared right into Alex’s eyes, like he was going to tell him something important.   
“I actually wanted to say-” He spoke reverently, just above a whisper. Alex wondered why he was being so quiet, considering that no one else was around. At that moment, Bobby threw open the door.

“Hey guys, I’m happy for you, really, but we gotta talk about-” Bobby cut himself off when Luke gave him that deer-in-headlights look before putting his head down, frustrated.

“Come on man, I haven’t said anything yet.” Luke said with his head in his hands.

“Oh! I am so sorry, I’ll just, uh, see you guys at practice tomorrow.” Bobby apologized, slipping out the door and pulling Reggie, who was standing just outside, along with him.

Ok, now Alex was very confused. What was Bobby talking about? 

“I have to tell you something,” Luke started. “The reason the other guys weren’t here today is because I asked them to leave us alone.”

“Why would you-” Alex started. Now he was worried. Maybe Luke had figured it out. Maybe he was going to ask him to leave the band. At least he was nice enough to do it privately. Before Alex could think anything else, Luke started talking again.

“Hey, are you ok? You look really scared. I’m sorry if I freaked you out man, Reggie told me the song would be a good idea. I’m sorry if this makes things weird but I couldn’t wait any longer. It was killing me.”

“Are you kicking me out of the band?” Alex asked, speaking so quickly that the words almost ran together. 

“What? No! No, not at all. I was just going to say that, I-I like you. A lot. And it's messing with my music and it’s messing with my head and I had to get it out there. If you want to leave the band now, I get it, but I would never kick you out. You’re part of this band and I hope you never leave.” Luke started picking at a callus on his hand, avoiding Alex’s eyes. 

Alex immediately covered his mouth and nose with his hands--a pose he often adopted when something shocking happened, good or bad--and stood up. He needed a minute to process things.

While Alex was thinking, Luke kept his head down, waiting for him to say anything at all.

“You like me? I-I-I’m so confused right now.” Alex paced in front of the couch, adopting Luke’s signature stuttering. “Luke, you like boys?”

“Um, yeah,” Luke was still picking at his hand.

“I thought it was just me.” Alex whispered, more to himself than Luke.

Luke stood up, still avoiding Alex’s gaze, and started putting his guitar back in it’s case. He was staying at the garage that night so it’s not like he could go anywhere. As he was packing up, Luke was startled by a hand on his shoulder.

“Luke, I’ve had a crush on you for months. I didn’t know what to do but I felt guilty every time you caught me looking at you during practice. I thought you would hate me, or kick me out of the band, or tell my parents.”

Luke looked on the verge of tears when he heard Alex admit that.

“Oh, Alex. Never.” He took Alex’s hand and held it between them. The tears were visible on his cheeks now. “And don’t worry about the other boys. They were perfectly ok when I told them I liked you, so I know they’ll support you if you choose to come out to them.”

“Thank you.” Alex whispered, not daring to break the atmosphere with his voice. If the song had any truth to it, Luke may very well die young, because he was the best of them all. “I’m sure this isn’t how either of us planned it, but, will you kiss me?” 

Luke just nodded his head, wiping the tears from his cheeks, and reached up to cup Alex’s face with both of his hands. 

The last thought Alex had before his world changed forever was how cold the crucifix felt against his neck.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if there are any grammatical errors. Also please share thoughts and/or personal head cannons in the comments. Thanks!  
> PS: If you understood the Italian Restaurant reference, good job.


End file.
